and Lord? Are you daily growing in the grace of the Word of God? As far as the predicament in which these five thoughtless virgins find themselves, we discover that they can not get oil from the others. Verse 9 states, “But the wise answered, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.” Notice the important personal pro nouns occurring throughout this para ble, “their own,” “his own,” “her own,” “your own.” These indicate personal responsibility. It is though they told them that in the great day of judgment, when we shall stand be fore God Almighty, we cannot share the merits of others. We must all ap pear before God. The merit we have is not of our own but that which we receive from the Lord Jesus Christ. When the call comes, “The Bridegroom is here; go ye out to meet Him,” will we be able to go not with a mere out ward profession but with a true heart’s possession? Verse 10 gives us a tragedy for the thoughtless five went away to get oil. The prepared ones, however, entered in, and the door was shut. If you are in the first group, then you must go away and miss not only the blessing, but also the opportunity of entering in. When the bridegroom came the thoughtless ones were not there to greet him. Only those who were ready could enter in. When the text says that the door was “shut,” it means not just loosely closed, left to swing open and closed, but tightly fastened. There will come a day when this picture will literally be fulfilled. Will you be ready? While the door is still open, while Christ still calls, let Him come in through His fulness and joy. * Those unhappy individuals who look down on their neighbors usually just live on a bluff. * * * It is much better to fall down on a job than it is to lie down. * * * God calls men when they are busy, and Satan when they are idle. * *
WHAT IT COST In a fear of false worship, it may he that as we think of the incarna tion of our Saviour we tend to over look the selection of faithful Mary. We do not worship the creature, for this is contrary to the New Testa ment, but rather we need to think of her as a woman chosen of God to hear the blessed body of our Lord Jesus Christ. Certainly she should be re vered as we remember with gratitude what it cost her in complete consecra tion. She declared, in ready response to God, “Behold, the handmaid of the Lord: be it unto me according to Thy word." Warbwrton Lewis suggests, “The incarnation began when Mary said, ‘Into Thy hands I commend my body,’ and ended when the Son said, ‘Into Thy hands I commend my Spir it.’ Perhaps, in a very real sense, she was the only one who truly tasted the cup Christ drank when He went to Calvary. Any mother could feel the loneliness and emptiness of a child re jected by others. She knew, however, by the witness of the Holy Spirit that she had borne the One sinless person the world would ever see. Who can say but that when the nails were driv en into His hands, they also tore through hers. When the cross was dropped into its hole, perhaps her nerves were ripped and her bones wrenched. Far worse than any birth travail was the agony of heart in those hours at the cross. Perhaps you are a parent. Have you ever thought what it cost Mary to draw near to God? We can thank Him that there was a maiden, in such an apostate era, who lived so close to the Lord. This teaches us in this day and age there is also a cost in drawing near to God. The spear is still being thrust into His side. The true Christian will feel it as no one else can. The sorrows of His heart may well break yours, too, for the Bible declares, as we really contemplate the meaning of Christmas, “I f we suffer with him, we shall also reign with him." A mark of true greatness is to work un noticed, and to serve unseen. 1 4
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